Good pre-tan in South Africa?

[Silke Bean]

Taxidermists and hunters who have dealt with capes that were pre-tanned only in South Africa, before export, please share some good experiences (and also which establishments to best not use for this specifically).
I have a client hunting lion and buffalo in South Africa soon, who is set on getting his trophies mounted with us in Namibia. The Namibian prerequisites are apparently that skins from SA have to be pre-tanned in order to be imported, so I am trying to help him find the best place to get this done.
Thanks

 

[MarkB]

Some years ago I had all hides, capes "pre tanned" in Africa, cost was almost same as D&P and I was told just soak up, neutralize and mount. Ha Ha

All skins were exactly the same as an elastic band, try mounting anything like that. I resent to tannery here at home (Canada) and got decent hides with stretch back. Tannery was very worried and gave no guarantee things would work as they had no idea what was done in Africa.

That was some time ago, I do read that SA tanning is better now, may have all tanned in Africa for next trip. I would guess that they will go OK, I would also plan to fully tan when you receive. For me pre tan was not mountable until tanned.

With all African skins, hides and capes=good luck.

MB

 

[Justbryan]

I am doing a tiny ten and night creature hunt in August. Just talked to my USA taxidermist today and they suggested pickling/pre-tanning all hides for these particular animals especially Honey Badger and cats. Usually, my taxidermist does not want hides pre-tanned.

I have done a D&P on 5 previous hunts and my taxidermist has cleared all my animals. Now, they want these particular animals pre-tanned and shipped through Coppersmith. The taxidermist said it was because of the grease in these hides. They also said Coppersmith would save me on storage fees with so many CITES permits to clear.

 

[JimP]

Some times I wonder if people read the thread and the first post.

Outfitter A has a client who is hunting lion and buffalo in South Africa.

The client is planning on having the mounts done in Namibia, not the US

Namibian prerequisites are apparently that skins from SA have to be pre-tanned in order to be imported into Namibia.

So this is about shooting a animal and having the mounts done in Namibia, no other countries are involved.

 

[Justbryan]

Some times I wonder if people read the thread and the first post.

Outfitter A has a client who is hunting lion and buffalo in South Africa.

The client is planning on having the mounts done in Namibia, not the US

Namibian prerequisites are apparently that skins from SA have to be pre-tanned in order to be imported into Namibia.

So this is about shooting a animal and having the mounts done in Namibia, no other countries are involved.

I did read the first post. I gave a background to my situation so I am looking for a good place to get my hides pre-tanned in South Africa to be shipped to the USA. I failed to mention that part. So I am interested in following this post closely. I just need pre-tanning for a different reason.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have two kudu capes here that were pretanned in SA. The first kudu cape had a bit of slippage on one shoulder but hard to tell who is responsible. Second kudu turned out well. Hunters and Collectors in Port Elizabeth has a nyala cape and a black wildebeest cape ready to ship (both pretanned). He sent me a video of them being unfolded and they look good.

Taxidermists do prefer "wet tanned" capes to rehydrating them but import regulations up here in Canada have become almost prohibitive for dip & pack hides. Porcupine and cats are regulated more strictly in the States and that is undoubtedly why taxidermists are advising having them pretanned. Anything tanned usually floats through inspection at customs very quickly.

Almost all the stuff my daughter has done has been rehydrated pretanned and they have turned out okay. Like this full body cougar mount.

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Taxidermists and hunters who have dealt with capes that were pre-tanned only in South Africa, before export, please share some good experiences (and also which establishments to best not use for this specifically).
I have a client hunting lion and buffalo in South Africa soon, who is set on getting his trophies mounted with us in Namibia. The Namibian prerequisites are apparently that skins from SA have to be pre-tanned in order to be imported, so I am trying to help him find the best place to get this done.
Thanks

Hi Silke
I'm currently using Universal Trophy Services and find their tans very good. As you know through experience, for us Taxidermists in Australia, we have to have capes tanned prior to import.

Regards
Tim

 

[Tra3]

I was pretty sure this post was about getting some sun on these pasty-white northerner legs and arms before going to Africa next month. I think I need to pre-tan.

 

[Silke Bean]

Hi Silke
I'm currently using Universal Trophy Services and find their tans very good. As you know through experience, for us Taxidermists in Australia, we have to have capes tanned prior to import.

Regards
Tim

Hi Tim,
Thanks so much, this is the kind of info I am looking for.
Yes of course, you Australian taxidermists are actually the perfect guys to give recommendations since all your capes arrive tanned.
I will definitely check out Universal Trophy Services. Do you perhaps know what tanning process they use?

 

[MarkB]

Some times I wonder if people read the thread and the first post.

Outfitter A has a client who is hunting lion and buffalo in South Africa.

The client is planning on having the mounts done in Namibia, not the US

Namibian prerequisites are apparently that skins from SA have to be pre-tanned in order to be imported into Namibia.

So this is about shooting a animal and having the mounts done in Namibia, no other countries are involved.

I also read the post. It asks about pre tan in SA and first hand knowledge on how they turned out, just happened mine were for Canada.

I did not read in your post how your first hand experience in SA pre tan went?

MB

 

[MarkB]

Taxidermists and hunters who have dealt with capes that were pre-tanned only in South Africa, before export, please share some good experiences (and also which establishments to best not use for this specifically).
I have a client hunting lion and buffalo in South Africa soon, who is set on getting his trophies mounted with us in Namibia. The Namibian prerequisites are apparently that skins from SA have to be pre-tanned in order to be imported, so I am trying to help him find the best place to get this done.
Thanks

I currently have 22 D&P with Hunters and collectors in PE. From pics all look good, but they are hard dried and not pre tanned. I will soon have knowledge on a croc full skin as they fully tanned it.

MB

 

[Hunt anything]

Just a curiosity killed the cat question, what exactly is “pre-tanned” I’m not a taxidermist and have only heard of tanned and salted for dip and pack.

 

[MarkB]

I am really not positive. Our taxidermist here at home has no such thing, however an early part of the tanning process is the pickling stage. This is what I believe some call pre tan. Some people mount thin skin animals with only a pickle. Maybe a pro taxidermist will provide us a better explanation.

MB

 

[Silke Bean]

Just a curiosity killed the cat question, what exactly is “pre-tanned” I’m not a taxidermist and have only heard of tanned and salted for dip and pack.

Cape or full skin intended for mounting at some later stage getting run through the tanning process and then dried before shipping. Once received at the taxidermist, it then just needs to get rehydrated before mounting. (If its a good tan...)

 

[buck wild]

Cape or full skin intended for mounting at some later stage getting run through the tanning process and then dried before shipping. Once received at the taxidermist, it then just needs to get rehydrated before mounting. (If its a good tan...)

If this is correct, and I have no reason to believe it's not, then that's what we call a Dry Tan in the US. I admit the "pre-tan" label is confusing as it is already tanned. The rehydration allows for mounting. If not mounting, a dry tan skin can be kept in it's same condition for rug display, floor laying etc.
I can't imagine a skin only going through the pickle then being shipped. Pickled skins can be maintained for long periods of time, but IN the pickling solution. Once I skin is pulled from the pickle, I think don't think drying for shipment would be wise.

Maybe a SA Taxidermist will reply. @SPLITTING IMAGE TAXIDERMY ???

 

[MarkB]

From my experience pre tan and dry tan are NOT the same. We have many dry tan skins for rugs, soak up, and hide is soft, has stretch and makes an awesome product. No pre tan I have ever received is anything like that.

I'm with @buck wild, I do hope a SA taxidermist/tannery from this site will provide us all with a very detailed explanation of the pre tan process.

I know at this point I will not be getting it done.

MB

 

[spike.t]

I was pretty sure this post was about getting some sun on these pasty-white northerner legs and arms before going to Africa next month. I think I need to pre-tan.

Beat me to it....was my first thought when I glanced at the title..

 

[Ontario Hunter]

From my experience pre tan and dry tan are NOT the same. We have many dry tan skins for rugs, soak up, and hide is soft, has stretch and makes an awesome product. No pre tan I have ever received is anything like that.

I'm with @buck wild, I do hope a SA taxidermist/tannery from this site will provide us all with a very detailed explanation of the pre tan process.

I know at this point I will not be getting it done.

MB

I think some of the confusion relates to different terminology on different sides of the pond for same thing. For example, African taxidermists refer to bleached skulls as dip & pack but over here we call those euro skulls. Over there euro mounts are skulls flattened (sans teeth, etc) to mount on fancy plaques. Over here those would be more akin to cap mounts. The dry tanned capes I receive from SA are no different from the "dry tanned" deer capes we purchase over here to rehydrate and mount. "Pre-tanned" refers to capes that are tanned before shipment, i.e. NOT dip & pack which are essentially only pickled. Backskins for rugs etc are dry tanned but also additionally prepared for final use by shaving ("splitting"), trimming, flattening, and softening the tanned hides as needed.

 

[MarkB]

I agree the terminology is different. I stand by that a pre tan hide is NOT a dry tanned hide. We receive tons of dry tanned hides from our tannery. The difference on a Canadian hide from our tannery is you have the exact same steps for all up to a wet tanned hide then add a step (as stated above) to get a dry tanned hide. Pre tan as Africa calls it is not a step that our tannery uses and has no part of our NA tannery companies steps. When I asked for specific details on my "pre tanned" hides I was told its a lutan F process. We have never in 1000's of NA hides tanned had anything like a "pre tan" hide.

D&P is not a dried pickled hide, (does SA even use PH strips to get it perfect per hide???) it is a hide/cape completed IAW international shipping rules, disinfected, soaked in solution for specific period, these steps are NOT done on any hide that is being tanned in NA.

I am still waiting for clarification from an experienced SA tannery to explain in great detail. My inquiring mind wants to know.

MB

 

[Tim Blackwell]

Hi Tim,
Thanks so much, this is the kind of info I am looking for.
Yes of course, you Australian taxidermists are actually the perfect guys to give recommendations since all your capes arrive tanned.
I will definitely check out Universal Trophy Services. Do you perhaps know what tanning process they use?

I believe Lutan, but that's only from memory. Coupled with your own tans in Namibia, they are my go-to's for African tanning.

Regards
Tim